Improvement in boot and shoe heels



S. M. RICHARDSON. Boot-and Shoe Heels.

No. 217,485. Patented July 15,1879;

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SAMUEL M. RICHARDSON. OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR- OF ONE- HALFHIS RIGHT TO ALBERT T. STAHL, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOT AND SHOE HEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 217,485, dated July 15,1879 application filed September 2, 1878.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL M. RICHARD- SON, of Boston, county ofSuffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Bootsand Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with thedrawin gs forming a part thereof, is a specification.

This invention relates and has special reference to the heels of bootsand shoes and consists in the combination, with a heeltip, of mechanismto positively and automatically rotate it.

Figure i represents, in top view, a heel provided with my improvements;Fig. 2, a longitudinal section thereof and Fig. 3, a detail of the.heol-tip-rotating devices.

This heel is chiefly applicable to ladies shoes having what are calledFrench heels, and the completed heel will be attached to the shoe in anyusual way. The heel-shell a, of any usual shape, size, and material, ismade hollow (see Fig. 2) to receive within it the mechanism for rotatingthe heel-tip b, of leather, metal, rubber, wood, rawhide, or of suitablemoldable material or their compounds, or leather covered with someharder material.

This heel-tip is attached to a spindle, 0, provided, as shown in thisinstance, with a ratchet, d, the teeth of which are engaged by a pawl,e, on an arm, f, of a shaft, g, supported by suitable bearings in theshell a. This shaft g has an arm, h, which, as shown in this instance,is depressed by the plate 'i, or it may be the sole end, each time theweight of the person is transferred to the shoe, such plate thendescending and causing the pawl to move forward over the ratchet. On theremoval of weight from the shoe or part "i the spring It acts upon arm nand rotates the shaft g, so that the pawl engaged with the ratchet turnsit, the spindle, and tip I) as the foot is lifte from the ground orfloor.

It will be noticed that the tip is moved as the foot is lifted.

This invention automatically rotates the heel, thereby continuouslybringing a new portion of said heel to the outer side of the shoe, sothat the heel will wear evenly and squarely.

The extent of rotation of the heel-tip will depend upon the extentofmovement of the shaft 9 and the size of the ratchet-teeth.

The plate i is shown as pivoted upon the heel part; but instead it maybe hinged or flexibly connected thereto, so as to move up and down andactuate the shaft g.

The shape of the pawl and ratchet may be variously changed withoutdeparting from my invention; and instead of the said pawl and ratchetany other 'well-known or equivalent device may be employed toautomatically rotate the heel-tip.

'The detent p prevents the heel-tip from rotating when the pawl is movedforward, and a spring, r, holds the pawl down upon the ratchet.

The spring is is made of sufficient strength to turn the shaftg and liftthe platei when the foot is lifted from the ground or floor.

1. A heel provided with an independent tip, in combination wtihmechanism to progressively rotate the tip when the heel is lifted fromthe ground or floor, substantially as de scribed.

2. The heel tip, connected spindle and ratchet, and pawl and rock-shaft,combined with a plate and a spring to operate the rockshaft in oppositedirections to rotate the tip automatically, substantially as described.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, a heel provided with anautomatically-rotated tip, to operate substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed myname to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing'witnesses.

SAMUEL M. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses G. W. GREGORY, L. F. GoNNOR.

